It’s that time of year again, so get out your cold weather wear and sort through the good and the bad!
Moth holes? Pilling? Stains? Instead of throwing away your less than perfect sweaters, why not recycle and turn them into a brand new beanie and mitten set? Whether it’s thrifted, belonged to an ex, or the one you wore to last year’s Ugly Christmas Sweater Party –as long as it’s got some stretch, it should work for this simple DIY project.
* Tip: Choose a sweater with some sort of cuff or band at the waist and sleeves if you want to make a beanie and mitten set with a fold-over cuff.
What You’ll Need:
Needle
Thread
Sweater
Pins (Optional but helpful!)
Something to measure with
Your sharpest pair of scissors
Something to make marks with (I’m using washable eyeliner here but chalk works too.)
Anything to add detail to your hat and gloves (Beads, old buttons, sequins, loose charms, etc.)
Step 1: Mark Your Measurements
Begin with your sweater inside out and laid flat. If you want to add a cuff, now is the time to fold in your sweater’s waistband onto the inside. Do the same to the sleeves if you want your mittens to have fold-over cuffs as well (See image above).
A 10-inch width and 8-inch length should fit most people, but also take the stretchiness of your sweater into consideration and adjust accordingly.
* Tip: It’s always better to be more liberal with your measurements. Otherwise, you might end up with a hat and mittens too small for you or whomever you’re planning to make them for!
A. First mark the full width (~10 inches) starting from one of the side seams and then find the center (~5 inches) and mark that as well.
B. Next measure the length of the hat (~8 inches) up from the center and make a mark.
C. Connect the marks that you’ve made into a dome shape for your hat.
D. Loosely trace your hand in the rough shape of a mitten.
Step 2: Snip and Sew
(Optional step) Pin the perimeter of your shape to avoid fabric shifting while cutting.
E. Cut hat shape out making sure to cut above instead of on the line to leave some room for error. Don’t throw away the extra sweater material!
F. Get caught up with your favorite show while you sew it all up! If you’ve got a sewing machine, I recommend using a sturdy zigzag stitch for your seam. For hand sewers, just do what comes easiest to you. It doesn’t have to look perfect since any mistakes will be well hidden and on the inside. Just make sure that your stitches are tight.
G. Remove your pins and trim off any excess fabric.
H. Now flip it back so the right side is showing and try it on!
Step 3 (Optional): Details and Decor
I. While wearing your hat (or mittens), mark wherever you want your details to go. This will help you sew your decorations on in the correct position.
J. Now sew everything into place making sure to cover up your marks. Be creative! I used three old buttons and a few loose beads from a broken necklace of mine. You can add sequins, flowers, or even pom-poms. (I recommend this tutorial.)
K. (Only for hats and mittens with a fold-over cuff)
With some matching thread, sew a small single stitch through both layers of fabric. Do this every two or three inches around the perimeter of the hat and mittens to keep the cuffs in place.
[Repeat steps F - K for mittens.]
Hope you’re all as happy with your work as I am with mine! Enjoy your sweet new hat and mittens or give them to a friend as a present.
If whatever’s left over of your sweater is still useable (no big stains or holes), save it and stay tuned for another project later: Recycled Sweater Do-It-Yourself – Part 2!
